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Announcing a new partnership between Stonewall Housing and L&Q

L&Q and Stonewall Housing are delighted to announce a new strategic partnership which will put Stonewall Housing on a firmer financial footing and will ensure improved services for lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) communities.rn

An investment of £180,000 over three years from the L&Q Foundation will help preserve the future of Stonewall Housing, and strengthen its business development, enabling the organisation to carry out its new forward growth strategy. Stonewall Housing and L&Q will also work together to increase awareness of LGBT housing issues and scope further potential partnership opportunities.

David Montague, L&Q Group Chief Executive, says, “Inclusion is one of our key values and we believe that the specialist services Stonewall Housing provides to lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people are vital. We are delighted to be able to back continued provision for this group, who have historically faced discrimination and difficulty in getting their housing and support needs met.”

Stonewall Housing has experienced an increasing demand for its services at a time when resources are reducing. During the past financial year, Stonewall Housing embarked on a full-scale remodelling of its advice and support services following a significant cut in its local authority contracts.This cut meant the organisation had less capacity to develop its services at a time when more people were approaching them with more complex needs and in more financial hardship. In 2016, following the closure of two key delivery partners (Pace and Broken Rainbow), with the support of London Housing Foundation, Stonewall Housing approached a number of agencies to consider how best to secure the organisation’s future. The L&Q Foundation’s three-year investment means that Stonewall Housing’s future now looks much brighter.Bob Green, Stonewall Housing CEO, says, “We are very grateful that L&Q have recognised that our independent, community-based, specialist services should continue. With their investment we can strengthen our advice and support services and we will have the capacity to deliver innovative solutions such as housing for older LGBT people as well as more emergency and supported accommodation.“It is unfortunate that in 2017 LGBT people still experience harassment and abuse in and around where they live and we look forward to working with L&Q over the next three years to serve the LGBT communities. We hope that others will follow suit to enter into similar partnership arrangements so that more LGBT people have access to safe housing across the country.”